by Jorge Gomez • 1 minute
The City of Santa Ana, California isn’t allowing a Chinese-American congregation to meet for worship. The church applied for a conditional use permit to use an office space for their religious services. But the city said “No.”
Anchor Stone Christian Church’s mission is to spread the Gospel to other first-generation Chinese-Americans in Santa Ana and throughout Orange County. Since it was opened in 2018, the church has grown from an in-home prayer group to a larger congregation needing additional space. The church found a property they intended to purchase.
With assurance from the city that there would be no obstacles, the church moved forward and bought the property. It was only after closing that the city rejected Anchor Stone’s application. The property has sat vacant for two years and the church has suffered monetary damages totaling over $500,000.
First Liberty and the law firm O’Melveny & Myers sent a letter demanding the city grant Anchor Stone’s permit to use the property for religious services. The letter explains that the city’s denial of the church’s permit application violates federal law and the First Amendment.
“It is indisputable that the City has severely burdened Anchor Stone’s ability to engage in religious exercise,” said Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty. “The Constitution and federal law forbid government officials from intimidating and preventing churches from using their property as a place to exercise their religious beliefs.”
“Under federal law, the City of Santa Ana must treat religious land uses the same as any other,” said Timothy Durst, partner at O’Melveny & Myers. “The city’s repeated efforts to prevent churches and religious institutions from engaging in their religious missions cannot continue.”
Preventing a church from living out its religious mission betrays everything that religious freedom in America is about. Houses of worship should not be subject to this type of discrimination. Federal law clearly protects churches from unreasonable government interference with their religious exercise.
The city must follow the law and grant the permit, as the church has fulfilled all necessary requirements.
Criminalizing Compassion: Pastors and Churches Are Under Attack
There’s an alarming rise in attacks against houses of worship and pastors. City officials want churches to conform to their beliefs rather than live by their own. Because of this, pastors across the country are being attacked for living out their faith, ministering to their congregations and caring for the most vulnerable.
We need faithful Americans like you to come alongside these pastors so that they can continue to minister and serve their communities. These threats are very real and very dangerous—not to mention illegal and unconstitutional.
Please give to First Liberty today. Together, we can fight to protect the freedoms of pastors and people of faith across our country.
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